2008-01-22

Despite the surprise in Rika’s tone, Yossi knew her friend was only faking it. She stopped wiping her face, threw her towel around her neck and looked up. Seeing Rika’s expression only ascertained her belief that Rika had always been a bad liar.

‘Right, convince me. You’re just surprised that we switched time.’

Rika laughed. There was no faking it; Yossi knew her just too well.

‘Actually, Yaguchan told us to play dumb.’ ‘Uh?’ ‘Yeah,’ Yossi continued, ‘to pretend we didn’t know it’s your birthday, but Kemeko said it is not going to work.’

‘Why?’ Rika asked. She looked around for her towel and found it lying on the bench.

‘She said you’d probably tell the crowd on stage. Man, she’s so right about you.’ Yossi laughed lightly. ‘That’s why she suggested we beat you to it—to let you cut your cake this morning while we filmed everything—’

‘And show to the fans?’

Yossi ignored Rika’s questioning look and wiped her face again with her towel. After a final check on her appearance against the mirror, she was ready to go. She looked into the mirror, catching Rika fiddling with her bangs against the mirror behind, and wondered why Yasuda had understood her better. ‘Sometimes, I think Kemeko knows you inside out.’

‘I find us so alike too,’ Rika mused.

‘Alike? Nah~’ Yossi stuffed her towel into her duffel bag. ‘You look so much better than her.’

Rika stole a quick glance at Yossi. A strange feeling hit her. Yossi was checking the bench for left-behinds as though what she had just said was nothing but a casual remark.

Yossi zipped her bag and slung it over her shoulder. ‘I’m done, you?’

‘Almost,’ Rika said. She dug into her bag for her spectacle case, the little case quickly catching Yossi’s attention.

‘What’s wrong?’ Yossi asked as she watched Rika put on her glasses.

‘nani?’ Rika’s eyes shifted to watch Yossi in the reflection.

Noticing Rika watching her now, Yossi pointed a finger to her own eyes. ‘You’re wearing them more often now.’

‘Oh this?’ Rika raised her frame slightly from her nose before letting it slide back down. ‘Doctor’s advice.’

‘Doctor! What happened?’‘Nothing. Just that recently my eyes tire easily so he advised me not to wear contacts that often.’‘I see.’ An assured look returned to Yossi.

Soon, Rika, too, was ready to leave. But before they could step out of the locker room, a voice—from the other end of the room—called out to them.

‘Hey Birthday Girl! Sure you’re not joining us for drinks?’

They stopped in their tracks and looked back. Rika cringed when she saw Yasuda approaching, a demanding look on her face. She apologized. ‘Sorry, but I already promised mom I will be back for celebration.’

‘She has to be in Tokyo tomorrow, in fact, we all have to be in Tokyo,’ Rika cut in even before Yossi had the chance to defend for herself. She then looked around for trace of other Gatas members, but found nobody else; only Nakazawa, Yaguchi and two other melons remained. Perhaps the mood for Gatas members to stay and party had dissipated with the thought of their futsal matches tomorrow.

A figure stepped out from behind a row of lockers and said to Yasuda: ‘Isn’t it better? I don’t have to share my booze.’ Nakazawa, who had been listening to the conversation, quickly made a ‘shoo’ gesture with her hand.

Catching the cue, Yossi and Rika quickly bade goodbye and left the room.

They hurried along the staff passageway to the basement carpark where a company van was waiting; Yossi sliding the door closed after they had boarded it. The transport would only fetch them the nearest subway station and from there, they would head to their final destination. By the time Yossi and Rika had settled into their seats, the van was already making its way out of the illuminated carpark into the darkened streets outside. They passed a big group of fans who were still lingering outside the concert venue and Rika suddenly had a thought. What if those fans knew their idols had just passed them? Would they chase after the vehicle?

She laughed under her breath and looked to her left, only to realize Yossi had turned quiet. Reckoning that Yossi was feeling tired from the concert runs, she left Yossi alone and returned to her own thoughts. However, it didn’t take long before the silent atmosphere began to irk her. The silence was too deafening. It was really unusual for them not to be chatting or laughing away, especially when their vehicle had just passed an atrocious pair of girls clad skimpily only in line-thin bikini tops and super-short hot pants. The girls’ spiky lime-green hair alone was enough to garner a little discussion, but no one had talked. Had Yossi not seen the girls? And if Yossi had, why hadn’t she said anything?

She cleared her throat. “ano…”“nani?”

The immediate reply surprised Rika; apparently, Yossi hadn’t dozed off, but was only being quiet. She blushed when she noticed Yossi now looking at her.

What has gotten into me? Why am I actually asking for my birthday gift?

She knew it was because she had expected something from her good friend and was now chafed when she hadn’t.

Yossi burst out laughing. When the driver looked back at the little commotion, Rika felt her face turning into an even brighter crimson.

“Actually…” Yossi said, still laughing. “I got you something.” She unzipped her bag resting on her lap and took out a nicely wrapped little box, but not before Rika had noticed her removing something that was attached to it. Rika decided to let it pass.

“Here,” Yossi beamed. “Happy Birthday.”

Rika smiled before receiving the gift. “Thanks,” she said as she gave the box a little shake, her fingers already tracing the wrapper, searching for a spot to start unwrapping.

“Don’t!” Yossi stopped Rika. “Only open it when you reach home.”

The suspicious action only made Rika more curious. “Now what’s so special about this?” She shook the box again, her mind already listing the items that could possibly fit into the little box.

Yossi laughed nervously. “It is of nothing special, though I hope you’ll like it.”

Rika raised a brow to look at Yossi. “Ok,” she finally said and cautiously put the box into her bag. “You know,” she began again. “Do you still remember what you gave me every year?”

“Yep. I really like it. Although my sister will always scream at it whenever she comes to visit me.”“Why?”

Rika laughed. “Because she said Pooh bear was never pink. She asks what’s in your head when you decided to give me this, or how the hell did you manage to find this dyed fake toy. She is so sure the bear isn’t original.”

Yossi found herself laughing along. “Well, you like pink, don’t you?’ I don’t exactly remember where I bought it. I was shopping with my mother, and when I saw this, I told myself I had to get it for you,” she lied; she clearly recalled she was out shopping the whole day just to find a suitable birthday gift. “Anyway, glad to know that Pooh-san’s still around.”

“hidoi~ I always treasure all my birthday gifts.”

The van pulled to a stop longer than usual and they knew they had reached the station. They took out their caps, putting it on. After ensuring their faces were partly concealed under the collar of their fully zipped up jerseys, they stepped out into the direction the station. However, when they became fully visible to each other in the bright station, they laughed. Pulled down caps, hidden faces and thwarting looks—they looked like a pair of fugitives running from the law.

“And they say geinoujin are glamorous.” Yossi laughed.

“And why do I feel we’re actually attracting more attention?”

“You love that, don’t you?” Yossi quipped.

Rika giggled.

Yossi rolled her eyes. She knew Rika was being paranoid. The fact was, as she looked around now, no one even bothered to give them a second look. That is the thing about Japan: nothing is deemed weird to garner a second look.

Yet… Yossi laughed under her breath. Yes, it would cause a big ruckus though if people knew…

She stopped as they approached the elevator leading to different platforms. After some hesitation, she opened her bag and took out the envelope. It’s now or never, she thought. In fact, she had been contemplating throughout her whole journey in the van, now it’s time to get the matter off her chest, once and for all…

Rika stopped to look back when she realized Yossi hadn’t been keeping up with her pace, and saw Yossi looking at her with a card in hand.

Yossi seemed to be struggling with her words when she walked forward. “It’s supposed to come with your birthday present.” She awkwardly stuck out her hand that was holding the card.

Rika had to strain her ears to hear Yossi in the noisy station. Lucky for her, Yossi’s body language more decipherable. She accepted the pink envelope, flipping it over for a second look. Nothing was written on either side, not even the name of the addressee.

“Read it only when you got back home, not in the train,” Rika heard Yossi say; but before she could digest or say anything back, Yossi had bade her goodbye and was already hastening toward her platform.

Confession!! Confession!! Confession!! Confession!!hahaha yeah, I always had thought that they could call more atention dressed like that xDBut as you said, nothing is weird in japan, that's one of the things I like, you can wear anything you one

Confession... *thinks* NAAAAAAAAAH it's a special question. It's this paper folded in half and it says "will you marry me? PS. don't forget to open the present" and when she opens the present it'll be an engagement ring <3<3<3<3<3<3<3...srsly though, i want to read what happens next XXXDDD

What's written

It took years and A simple story - their story were written many years back when I just started writing fanfic. Until I have time to re-write it, do bear with the mistakes.

Yoshi (extras) is the 3rd instalment of 'Till then...' and 'Yoshi'. The first two is currently under re-writing. Basically, Yoshi (extras) is more an epilogue (with no direct link to the series) in which the chapters are based on happenings of the girls in real life.

'If...' is another work I'm rewriting. I am changing the original hitomiki version to Ishiyoshi. If you have the copy of the older version stored somewhere, that's good since the new version will be very different. And no, don't ask me for the older version.

'Unmei' will be my next project. And once again, the original hitomiki version will be changed to Ishiyoshi.

That's right, there will be no more traces of other couplings here except Ishiyoshi.